I think we need to have three solid pairings that can play 18-20 minutes a night. I just don't see us completing a top pairing that can play 25 minutes a night within the next two years. We need a better all around defense like NJ. I'm also not sold on EJ turning into a 40 point defender for sure either, I'm willing to accept him as a 30 point guy with top pairing defensive ability.

Ack, not NJ, please. I was thinking a better model to pattern the Avs D after was Vancouver during their Cup run. No surefire #1 guy but enough really good ones to make a solid blueline corps.

I don't think we need two. Hejda and Barrie are starting to look very much like a Top 4 pairing, then EJ makes up half of another. We need 1 more Top 4 Dman to play with EJ(That guy could actually be Wilson for now).

And we would probably only need that Dman for a couple of years. Siemens and Elliott could both very well be top 4 guys in a couple years too. And our 1st in this draft is yet to be seen.

One of Smid/Streit is all we need IMO.

XXX - EJ
Hejda - Barrie
Obrien - Hunwick

That's a decent Defense with guys playing where they should.

I dont think we should be fooled by a couple of our defenseman playing good for a handful of games.

XXXX - EJ
XXXX - Wilson
Hejda - Barrie

That's what I want to see in the future. Hopefully Siemens is ready to replace Hejda when his contract is up efter 13/14. That would be perfect. But right now I want to trade Stastny for that partner to EJ and acquire a Top 4 d-man to play with Wilson. Hejda and Barrie I think is a perfect match and could handle playing against the other teams 3rd and 4th line. Barrie can hopefully become that perfect offensive defenseman who will thrive on the PP and not having to tough of a job on the 5 on 5 if we dont match him up against the other teams better players.

Now that ROR is back in the fold, the easy solution to the defense is to trade Stastny for a top 4 + prospect pick. Keeps us from overpaying a UFA for that spot and it keeps our top 6 centers with top 6 wingers. With the contract that ROR has, he now has to produce and the Avs have to give him the chance to do it.

Nah I like the idea of having all three, I just showed with the cap structure that we can keep all three as well. And sign some solid defenders in the off-season along with leaving enough money to give guys raises as well.

I'm sorry but a 65-70 point center is worth more than a second pairing defender any day on your roster IMO. See if Stastny will take a small haircut and extend him. If Pitt can maintain 21.4M down the middle we can maintain between 16 & 17M down the middle and still fill out our roster.

I dont think we should be fooled by a couple of our defenseman playing good for a handful of games.

XXXX - EJ
XXXX - Wilson
Hejda - Barrie

That's what I want to see in the future. Hopefully Siemens is ready to replace Hejda when his contract is up efter 13/14. That would be perfect. But right now I want to trade Stastny for that partner to EJ and acquire a Top 4 d-man to play with Wilson. Hejda and Barrie I think is a perfect match and could handle playing against the other teams 3rd and 4th line. Barrie can hopefully become that perfect offensive defenseman who will thrive on the PP and not having to tough of a job on the 5 on 5 if we dont match him up against the other teams better players.

You know we're not going to get a top-pairing defender for Stastny, right?

I love Streit, but why would we sign a 35 year old close to the end of his career?

He would bring good leadership, but there are way more defensemen to target besides him. Anyone who says he should be part of our top 3 targets is wrong, IMO (more like 5th to 10th).

My guess is that nobody else on the UFA market brings his skills to the table. I see no chance at Striet, he will go to a cup contender for a few years. Smid is the best option on the free agent market if you can keep his salary below $4-4.5m.

If Winnipeg is still scouting our next couple of games(they were there AGAIN yesterday), that is very indicative of other talks... either Sherman continuing his pursuit of other assets or Winnipeg interested in a smaller deal(without O'Reilly).

If Winnipeg is still scouting our next couple of games(they were there AGAIN yesterday), that is very indicative of other talks... either Sherman continuing his pursuit of other assets or Winnipeg interested in a smaller deal(without O'Reilly).

Last year NJ had Zajac, Henrique, Carter, and Zubrus and they lost in the finals.

Our centers depth is really important to keep now that we have the chance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by henchman24

My guess is that nobody else on the UFA market brings his skills to the table. I see no chance at Striet, he will go to a cup contender for a few years. Smid is the best option on the free agent market if you can keep his salary below $4-4.5m.

If we make it into the playoffs this year, we will be looked at as the next up and coming team in the next 2-3 years. Much like Chicago was. We'll be attractive enough... That's if we can get healthy and show some progression.

I love Streit, but why would we sign a 35 year old close to the end of his career?

He would bring good leadership, but there are way more defensemen to target besides him. Anyone who says he should be part of our top 3 targets is wrong, IMO (more like 5th to 10th).

I think we should be looking for more of a stop gap replacement for now.

We have some decent Dmen in the system with Elliott and Siemens. Siemens could still very well become that top pairing guy.

And if we use our 1st to draft say Nurse or Ristolainen, then between Siemens/Elliott/ and one of those 2, I would think we could find a decent #2/3 Dman to play with EJ.

Sign Streit to play here for 2-3 years(or 4 if that's what he wants) and be our Top pairing guy while we introduce Simenes/Elliott to the league. Then after those 2 or 3 years we reevaluate our Defense again. If one of Siemens/Elliott/Barrie/Draftee are on there way to top pairing talent, then we don't have to do anything. If they are all looking more like 2nd pairing guys or worse, then package a couple of them and a pick or something to go get that top pairing guy.

I actually went and checked Hockeybuzz lol, *******. Who knows which half you were serious about. I'm not sure I even want to speculate on what we could get back for Stastny from them if we had that much of a fight in trading O'Reilly. I didn't like Little + Trouba all that much TBH... And they really aren't giving that up for Stastny, not going to trade Enstrom right after locking him up either...

I don't want some 'OK' top 4 defender for Stastny IMO when we could pick that up in free-agency with the 10 of them that are going to be available.

I think we need to start getting serious about a Stastny to Toronto situation.

The Leafs will be a playoff team this year, their interest in Stastny is well known, Bozak isn't going to be re-signing there and we know the ties to Denver, he makes a much more appropriate and cap friendly 3rd line centre... the question is what do we get with him?

I have no doubt we could re-sign Bozak before he hits unrestricted free agency this summer, but I'd like to get back a decent D or even another winger in the deal.

Am I just being crazy here or is something around Bozak + a piece for Stastny possible?

I think we need to start getting serious about a Stastny to Toronto situation.

The Leafs will be a playoff team this year, their interest in Stastny is well known, Bozak isn't going to be re-signing there and we know the ties to Denver, he makes a much more appropriate and cap friendly 3rd line centre... the question is what do we get with him?

I have no doubt we could re-sign Bozak before he hits unrestricted free agency this summer, but I'd like to get back a decent D or even another winger in the deal.

Am I just being crazy here or is something around Bozak + a piece for Stastny possible?

I think we need to start getting serious about a Stastny to Toronto situation.

The Leafs will be a playoff team this year, their interest in Stastny is well known, Bozak isn't going to be re-signing there and we know the ties to Denver, he makes a much more appropriate and cap friendly 3rd line centre... the question is what do we get with him?

I have no doubt we could re-sign Bozak before he hits unrestricted free agency this summer, but I'd like to get back a decent D or even another winger in the deal.

Am I just being crazy here or is something around Bozak + a piece for Stastny possible?

Would they give up Gardiner? He does not look essential to their season this year. Beyond that...

Bozak + 1st + MaC? a 2nd/3rd line LW who Bozak is familiar with but is better than Mitchell.

We must resist, strictly to not prove the Prophets of the Trade Forum correct.

Oh yeah, and he should be traded for defenceman.

I will say this... If they were willing to do something like Gardiner + 1st with Bozak thrown in for Stastny + 2nd... I would pull the trigger on that, but only if we get someone who can help us now and a defender as well.

Bozak wouldn't be nearly as much of a rental for us but his value wouldn't be that high because we could just go after him in the off-season. Gardiner isn't on their roster, Bozak is replaced by Stastny and the 1st is the match that lights the fire.

I actually like Gunnarson the most of the non-Gardiner leafs that get mentioned. He'd be a solid partner for EJ. Something like Gunnarson, 1st and Bozak would actually be worth it for us.

Push hard for Gardiner first, if that does not work remove the 2nd rounder and ask for Gunny. I haven't seen Gunnarson play much so I'll trust you on this one, but I like Franson better. I'm in the 'offensive' camp when it comes to EJ's partner.

I'd want Bozak practically signed though before I make that trade. At least the opportunity to talk to him.

Q the Bozak compared to Stastny's last season point total argument though... ick

Push hard for Gardiner first, if that does not work remove the 2nd rounder and ask for Gunny. I haven't seen Gunnarson play much so I'll trust you on this one, but I like Franson better. I'm in the 'offensive' camp when it comes to EJ's partner.

I'd want Bozak practically signed though before I make that trade. At least the opportunity to talk to him.

Yeah I can agree with that. Gardiner is clearly their most appealing target for us, but if we don't get him I've liked Gunnar for a little while now, he's a good skater and could be that reliable and smart partner EJ hasn't had since he played for the Blues, which I think is more important than giving EJ a creative partner who he'd still be mostly cleaning up for.

Yeah I can agree with that. Gardiner is clearly their most appealing target for us, but if we don't get him I've liked Gunnar for a little while now, he's a good skater and could be that reliable and smart partner EJ hasn't had since he played for the Blues, which I think is more important than giving EJ a creative partner who he'd still be mostly cleaning up for.

You have to be really sold on EJ breaking out offensively with a defensive first partner though, and I'm not. We know EJ can be a two-way 30 point guy, but 40 points consistently? I'm not sure...

You would also have to make sure Bozak wasn't looking for 5M a year... lol If that's the case fN keep Stastny and fix that **** through free-agency.